Means for patching veneer sheets



Dec. 14, 1943. P. F. SKOOG MEANS FOR PATCHING VENEER SHEETS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1941 INVENTORI B PER l-T 8x000 ATTORNEYSDec. 14, 1943. P. F. SKOOG MEANS FOR PATCHING VENEER SHEETS ssheets-sheet? Filed April 21, 1941 FIG. 5a

- INVENTOR Y PEI? F. SKOOG v ,ZA'L

ATTORNEYS Dec. 14, 1943. P. F. SKOOG MEANS FOR PATCHING VENEER SHEETSFiled April 21, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR PER E 8x000 M ATTORNEYSPatented Dec, 14, 1943 MEANS FOR PATCHING VENEER, SHEETS Per F. 81:00:,Bellingham, Wash, assignor to Olympia Plywood Machinery Corporation,

Olympia, Wash.

Application April 21, 1941, Serial No. 389,533

8 Claims.

7 amount of labor and is never satisfactorily'done by hand. A suitablemechanically operable salvage means and method to eflfect such patchingis desirable as such stock is usually of such low grade that it isunuseful in the manufacture of plywood of the standard or better grades.In manually patching veneer stock it is customary for a workman to cutby hand with a sharp knife, a boatshaped patch, or to cut a round patchby the use of a rotary saw. Subsequently, usually at another location apatch is cut from a piece of similar patching stock. This patch isplaced in position where it is glued in the cutout area from which themarred veneer has been removed. This forming of patching is usually athree-step operation, the first being the cutting operation, the secondbeing the formation of a patch suitable to fit in the cut-out portion,and the third the placement of the patch and its gluing into the stockbeing patched.

Ordinarily such patching operations are formed in a series of stepsalong a table set aside for that purpose. A considerable amount of timeis consumed in effecting such patching. Patching is not, therefore, verysatisfactory by this method because ordinarily it does not raise thegrade sufiiciently to extend any material advantage to the industry tooiiset the cost. As a result much good material can only command arelatively low sale price.

An important object of my invention is the provision of method and meansfor patching veneer sheets wherein the operation may be carried on at asingle position and with great rapidity and efiiciency.

Another object of my invention has been the provision of means formaking a patch in veneer stock wherein the preparation of the materialto be patched, the cutting of the patch, and the placement of the patch,is performed in a series of sequential steps all encompassed within abrief. moment required for the operation.

A further object of my invention comprises the k provision of a methodof cutting a patching plug plank to the size and shape or a punch-cutarea to be patched and inserting that cut plug into said area whilealways maintaining the plug compressed against edgewise expansion andwarping so that when the plug is finally placed it will securely engagein the area that is patched.

\ Still another object of my invention relates to the provision 0! meansfor punch-cutting a marred area in sheet veneer which means will clampsuch sheet about the marred area and hold it throughout the cutting andpatching steps of my method.

Another and further objects of my invention relates to the provision ofmeans for cutting and compressing a plug for placement in a veneer sheetwhile maintaining that cut plug against buckling or expansion as itpasses through a cutting die, at one edge of which the plug is cut,until it is inserted into the area being patched.

A further object of my invention is the provision of plug-cutting andpatching mechanism which is simple to. manufacture and easy to assembleand capable of constant use with a minimum of maintenance and repair,and which mechanism may be operated under electrically controlled, timedvalving mechanism or the equivalent.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent in thecourse of the following description wherein I have described a preferredform of my invention as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a detailed assembly view of my plug-cutting and patchingmechanism with portions shown in section and portions omitted forconvenience of illustration.

Figure 2 illustrates the mechanism by which plug blanks are constantlyfed for introduction into the patching mechanism.

Figure 3 is a bracketed view showing various types of plug which may becut for use in patching operations practiced according to my describedinvention,

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the principalelements of the plug-cutting and patching mechanism together with theoperating parts therefor,

Figures 5 and 5A show sequentially in plan the plug blank feedingmechanism as utilized in my mechanism,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a plug blank, Figure 7 is aperspective view of a portion of a veneer sheet indicating a marred areato be patched and indicating, in dashed lines, the perpatched,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a fragment of a veneer sheet after thepatching operation has been completed,

Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 are fragmentary sectional viewsillustrating the movements of the various parts and the various steps ofmy method and means for patching veneer sheets.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference charactersindicate like parts, nu-

meral 20 designates a horseshoe-shaped framemember utilized forsupporting the mechanism I have devised for cutting plug patches forveneer sheets. The lower arm 2| of the frame member 20 is supported uponsuitable legs 22 and 23 that may be mounted upon a work floor, theshowing of the actual footing being eliminated for convenience ofillustration.

By means of suitable structural members 25 a Positioned adjacent thmouth of the frame member 20 is a pair of supporting legs 29 and 3030which mount the table element 3| that is aligned horizontally with thetable element 26. The legs 3030 are spaced apart and a verticallymovable lifter bar 32 is guided there-between.

which has an interior passage 62 that is normally aligned with theopening 43 on the base 42. The die 60 is so formed that it has a cuttingor shearing edge at its upper end as well as one on its lower end of theopening 62.

n the upper arm of the frame is mounted a cylinder 64 having an upperflange 66 that I rests upon a suitable support member 66 associ- Bar 32supports a plurality of plug patch blanks 34 as indicated in Figure 1.At its end member 32 has coupled thereto a cord or cable 35 that passesover sheaves 36 and 31 and has attached thereto a weight 38 that hangsat some remote point and constantly urges the member 32 upwardly. Theblanks 34, resting on bar 32,- are aligned on their forward edgesagainst the plate 39 and on their rear edge they are kept in alignmentby means of the shoe 40.

As the individual members of the group of plug blanks supported by thebar 32 are forced up-.- wardly they come against the bottom face of stopblock 4| that is positioned in a hole in plate 44 that is disposed justunder the table 3|.

Supported on the lower arm 2| of the frame member 20 is a base block 42that is adapted to be shifted for very careful adjustment by a suitablescrew mechanism for proper positioning in alignment with other parts ofmy device which is ordinarily mounted directly thereabove for cuttingand patching veneer sheets. For example the block 42 may be shiftedlongitudinally by backing of! adjustment screw 43 while advancing a,imilar adjustment screw 44.

Fitted into an opening 45 within the base-block 42 is a ram or plungermember 46 that has a shank 41 extending downwardly therefrom into achamber in the cylinder 46 which depends from the base member 42. Theshank 41 is shouldered at 50 and a coil spring 6| encircling the shankis seated between the flange ring 62 in the upper portion of the chamberand the shoulder 60 below to constantly urge th member 26 downward. Atits lower end the shank 41 is associated with the diaphragm 54 in thediaphragm chamber or housing 66 to which air or other fluid pressuremeans may be supplied and exhausted by means of the tubes 56 and 56.

Above the base member 42 is a cutting die 60 ated with the arm. Anauxiliary cylinder 66 depends also from flange 66 and encloses inspacedrelation the cylinder 64. Positioned therebetween is the clampingshoe 10 having a foot I! and an enlarged head 12 adapted to close thearea between the cylindrical walls 64 and 68. An expansion coil spring14 is positioned between a flange 69 on the cylindrical wall 60 and theunder side of the head 12 of the clamp member 10 and constantly urgesthe member 10 upwardly.

Air supplied to the chamber 15 through the conduit I6 will permit thedownward extrusion of the clamping member 10 into a clamping positionupon a sheet of veneer stock indicated by the numeral 26.

Mounted for sliding movement in the inner I face of the wall 64 is aknife member 60 which will hereinafter be described as circular althoughit will be apparent that the shape of the knife may conform to the shapeof any of the patch plugs that are suggested in the bracketed view ofFigure 3. For example the circular plug 62 could be cut by the member00, whereas 9. diamond-shaped plug an oval plug 84, or a boatshaped plug65 would be cut by tools shaped for that purpose.

The knife member 60 is engaged on the lower end of a tube 86 and is heldin place by means of the nut 87. The upper end of the tube 86-isassociated with the diaphragm 88 in the housing 90 to which air or otherfluid under pressure may be supplied and from which it may be exhaustedby means of the tubes 02 and 94.

A vertically movable shank 36 is slidably mounted in the nut member 81and in an upper journal extension 91 of the tube 86. On its lower endthe shank 96 has the pressure foot or shoe 96 that, in the case of thecircular knife or cutter 80, is slightly smaller in diameter and adaptedto be enclosed thereby on occasion.

On the upper end, shank 96 has the piston I00 mounted in the cylinderI02 to which air under pressure may be supplied through the conduit Thepiston I00 is normally urged upwardly as is also the shank 96 and theshoe 88 by means of a coil spring I06 positioned between the under sideof the piston and the bottom of the piston chamber.

For introducing a plug-blank 34 to the under side of the die 60 orbetween member 42 and member 60 I employ the transversely slidablecarrier bar IIO which has an ofiset arm III to which may be connectedthe rod I I2 of the piston I I3 within the chamber I I4. The piston I I3may be moved either to the right or to the left, as seen in Figures 5and 5A, by air or other fluid under pressure supplied to the tubes I I5and I I.

A slot H8 in the carrier bar' is provided and has suiilcient width tofit either side of the holddown member 42 and to slide on either side ofthat memberwhile at the same time advancing one of the plug-blanks 34 inthe opening II! in the arm into position for cutting. On its advanced orforward end the carrier or bar III carrying a clean-out bar orcross-head I20 which travels across the upper face of the member 46 andthe member 48 and will wipe therefrom any debris from the veneer sheetcutting operation that may be deposited thereon. Spring I22 operatesupwardly against the under side of the plug blank as it is being fed tothe carrier bar to the cutting position and holds it againstdislodgement during that travel.

To assist in cleaning out any debris that may I remain in the carrierarm 1 I after a blank has been cut into the proper shape for a patch, I

employ the upwardly urged spring leaf I22 that may best be seen inFigures 1 and 13 and which rides in the slot H8 and the opening H0 andwill deflect downwardly any such debris therein.

In the showings of the Figures 9 through 14, are illustrated, thevarious elements of the invention and the steps of the method by whichthe inventionis practiced. In the Figure 9 I have shown fragments of theessential portions of the mechanism and this mechanism is shown in theat rest position. In this position the veneer sheet 28 is insertedbetween the member 60 and the clamping mechanism positioned by means ofthe clamp mechanism I0 which is extruded downwardly from its upwardlysupported position on the spring M, through the urgence of air which hasbeen introduced into chamber .715 against the upper face of the memberI0 through the tube It. When air is supplied to the tube 10 the memberI0 seats firmly so that its foot ll presses against the upper face ofthe sheet 28 and holds it tightly in place.

The next step in the method is illustrated in Figure 11 in whichinstance the knife 80 and the hold down member 98 have been forceddownwardly under the urgence of air applied to the upper surface of thediaphragm 88 and also into the chamber I02 against the piston I 00.

The thin knife edge of the member 00 shears out the marred portion 28aof the sheet 28 that is to be cut away and carries it downwardly. Thedebris is removed from within the knife by means of the foot 98stripping it therefrom as the member 80 is withdrawn. This latteroperation can be clearly seen in Figure 12 in which instance it will benoted that the clamp member 10 is still firmly holding the sheet 28against the die 60. The debris or marred area. 28a that has has been cutaway is now lying on the upper surface of the upwardly movable rammember 46, from which it is to be removed by the operation of thelaterally movable cross-head I on the carrier arm IIO. Arm IIO movesacross the upper face of member 46, between members 42 and 60, so that,as will be seen in Figure 13, the debris 28a is kicked out of themechanism and falls in a suitable manner for disposal.

At the same time, through the movement of the carrier arm across themember 40, a patching plug blank 34 is carried into'position on to theupper face ofthe member 42 under the holddown shoe 98. When a patch 34is properly positioned under the die 60 the upwardly moving plunger 46rises under the urgence of air supplied to the under side of thediaphragm 54 and the plug blank 34 is securely clamped between the ramand member Was it passes against the lower cutting edge of-the diemember 60 and through the opening or passage 62 therein; The

cutting operation will bend certain of the wood fibers along the outedge that will expand when freed from the die block to grip the irmeredges of the opening in the veneer sheet. The cut plug patch is heldunder compression from top and bottom between the members 98 and thelower ram member 46 all of the time that it passes through the opening62 in the cutting die 60. The plug and its bent fibers along the edgeare held against edgewise expansion by the walls of the opening orpassage 67 of the member 60 so that the patch plug has no opportunity toexpand larger than its out size. This compression is maintained all ofthe time until the plug shown in Figure 14 is brought into position inthe member 28 whereuponthe plug body and edge fibers are free to expandinthe opening therein. I

By means of suitable timing mechanism, these various steps hereinabovedescribed are carried on sequentially with split-second timing wherenecessary. The details of such control mechanism is not shown as manytypes would perform suitably such simple functions.

The moment that the plug is placed in the opening as shown in Figure 14,the shoe 98 rises and the ram 46 is forced downwardly by the action ofthe spring 5| or by means of air that may be supplied to the upper sideof the diaphragm 54. The cutting and patching mechanism returns to theat rest position as shown in Figure 9. whereupon the carrier arm IIOretracts, from the position of Figure 5A to that of Figure 5, and anydebris 34a that may be on the upper face of the member 42 is withdrawn,to the left in the showing, and is stripped from the slotted carrier armIIO by means-of the leaf spring I22 which extends into the slot IIS. InFigure 1 this last mentioned operation may be seen with the debris shownas falling out of the carrier arm and downwardly for disposal by gravityor otherwise.

The lower and upper diaphragms 54 and 88, are ordinarily controlled'bymeans of a supply of air or other fluid under pressure which passesthrough the valve mechanisms 55 and 89 respectively. These valvemechanisms may be of the solenoid operated type, and an electricalcontroller means (not shown in the drawings) will control the openingand closing of these valves, permitting the influx or exhaust of air tothe diaphragms. In such cases where there is no direct supply of airfurnished to the diaphragms to return them to'the original or at restposition, this function is performed by the springs 5i and 87. Air mayfreely fiow in or out through the members 59 and 94 so that exhaust maybe provided to break the vacuum on retracting movement. The supply ofair pressure to the chamber I02 through the valve I03 is controlled bythe electrically operated mechanism I03a indicated in Figure 1.

It will be noted that during practically all of the operations of myinvention in cutting and patching a sheet of veneer that the holding orclamping mechanism is constantly maintaining the sheet against the die.to hold it in position during the punch cutting operation, as well asduring the patching cycle.

The clamp means is so constructed that it surrounds the punch and alsothe area to be punchout and prevents breaking or cracking of theeration. The former is impractical because of the large sheet being outand because the mate-' rial within the cut is usually weak and will notstand punching. The converse is true when the plug patch blank is cut toform a patching plug for in that case the stock is sufllciently strongto be forced upwardly against a fixed die due to the operation of thevertically rising plunger.

While I have shown as a preferred form of my invention, the use ofair-operated diaphragms and piston mechanisms for the actuation of thevarious mechanical elements of my device it is to be understood thatthese form no important part of my invention as the combination ofelements forming the cutting mechanism is the heart an soul of theinvention.

I claim:

1. Sheet veneer cutting mechanism comprising a die block having acentral opening provided with an upper and lower similar shearing edge,a clamp member adapted to secure a veneer sheet to said die block aboutthe central opening, means for pressing said clamp member to said dieblock and means for retracting said clamp member from its pressingposition, a reciprocal knife adapted to cooperate with said die blockopening and the upper shearing edge to shear a portion of a veneer sheetclamped thereto, means for operating said knife, a clamp shoe to passsuch a cut out portion from a veneer sheet through the central openingin the die block, means for D0si tioning a patch blank of sheet veneerbelow said opening, a ram adapted to engage and force a portion of saidblank through said die opening past the lower shearing edge whereby toout said blank to the shape thereof, means for advancing said ram andcut blank through said die block opening to position the cut blank inthe opening of a veneer sheet, said clamp shoe pressing the blank tohold it against the ram during the cutting operation and subsequentthereto while the cut blank is passed to position in said veneer sheet,the wall of said die block opening serving to prevent lateral expansionof the cut blank during its passage through the die block opening.

2. Sheet veneer cutting mechanism comprising a die block having acentral opening provided with upper and lower shearing edges, a clampmember adapted to secure a veneer sheet to said die block about thecentral opening, means for pressing said clamp member to said die blockand means for retracting said clamp member from its pressing position, areciprocal knife adapted to cooperate with the upper shearing edge ofsaid die block to shear a portion from a veneer sheet clamped thereto,means for operating said knife, means for passing such a cut out portionfrom a veneer sheet through the central opening in the die block, meansfor positioning apatch blank of sheet veneer below said opening, a ramadapted to engage and force a portion of said blank through said dieopening past the lower shearing edge whereby to out said blank, andmeans for advancing said ram through said block opening to position saidout blank in the opening of the veneer sheet.

3. Sheet veneer cutting mechanism comprising a die block having acentral opening provided with similar upper and lower shearing edges,means for clamping the veneer sheet to the die block, a reciprocal knifeadapted to cooperate with the upper shearing edge of said die blockopening to shear a portion from a veneer sheet clamped thereto, meansfor operating said knife, means for positioning a patch blank of sheetveneer below said opening, a ram adapted to engage and force a portionof said blank through said opening and past the lower shearing edgewhereby to cut said blank, and means for advancing said ram through saiddie block to position said out blank in the opening of the veneer sheet.

4. A patching mechanism for veneer sheets comprising a die block havingan opening therethrough provided with an upper and lower similarshearing edge, a clamp operable to hold a veneer sheet against one faceof said die, a knife cooperating with said die opening and the uppershearing edge for punch cutting said veneer sheet, means for positioninga patch plug blank against the lower face of said die, a ram for forcingsaid patch plug blank against said die to trim it to the shape of theopening and to force it through said die, and means for holding saidpatch plug against the ram during its cutting period and during itspassage through the opening in said die and while it is introduced intothe cut out area of the veneer sheet being patched.

5. A'patching mechanism for veneer sheets comprising a die block havingan opening therethrough provided with upper and lower similar shearingedges, means for clamping a veneer sheet against the upper face of saiddie, means cooperating with said upper cutting edge for punch cuttingsaid veneer sheet, means for positioning a patch plug blank against thelower face of said die, means for forcing said plug blank against saidlower cutting edges to trim it to the shape of the opening, said meansalso serving to force the cut plug through said die and into the openingin the veneer, the wall of said die block opening being of a size tohold said patch plug against expansion or buckling during its cuttingperiod and during its passage through the openingin said and while it isintroduced into the cut out area of the veneer sheet being patched.

6. In a veneer patching machine, a cutting mechanism; comprising: a dieblock having similar shearing edges on the upper and lower faces of theblock and a passage therethrough from edge to edge, means for clampingand means cooperating with one shearing edge for cutting a portion froma veneer sheet positioned on one face adjacent said edge of the dieblock, means for positioning a veneer blank adjacent the face of saiddie block, means cooperating with the other shearing edge for cutting apatch from said blank and for passing it through said passage forinsertion into the cut opening in the veneer sheet, and meanscooperating with said last mentioned means for preventing buckling ofsaid patch during cutting and until insertion into the veneer sheetopening.

7. In a veneer patching =machine, a cutting mechanism, comprising: a dieblock having similar shearing edges on the upper and lower faces of theblock and a uniform passage therethrough from edge to edge, means forclamping and means cooperating with one shearing edge for cutting aportion from a veneer sheet positioned on one face adjacent said edge ofthe die block, means for positioning a veneer blank adjacent the otherface of said die block, means cooperating with the other shearing edgefor cutting a patch from said blank and for passing it through saidpassage for insertion into the cut opening of the veneer sheet, andmeans cooperating with said last mentioned means for preventing bucklingof said patch during cutting and until insertion into the veneer sheetopening, said passage walls being of a size to restrain the cut patchfrom lateral expansion during its travel through the die block.

8. In a veneer patching machine, a cutting mechanism, comprising: a dieblock having similar shearing edges on the upper and lower other cuttingedge and for passing it through said passage for insertion into theopening in the veneer sheet, and presser means for cooperating with saidram to prevent buckling of said patch during cutting and until insertioninto the veneer sheet.

PER F. SKOOG.

